Fantasy Recap: Preseason Week 2
Week two NFL fantasy football recap with Brian Jester. Get a complete rundown on all of the “exciting” pre-season football action that you couldn’t stomach to watch.
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NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: All three of the Cowboys’ main RBs returned to practice this week, thus we were blessed with the opportunity to see all three in action in Sunday’s preseason game. Darren McFadden performed miserably with the starters, totaling just four yards on three carries. Passing down back Lance Dunbar received work with the starters, as well, and caught two passes in his brief stint. The most curious takeaway from this game is the fact that presumed starter, Joseph Randle, worked exclusively with the second team on Sunday. There are two theories here: One, the team knows what they have in Randle and want to see McFadden work with the first team offense. Two, this truly is a RBBC and who knows how carries will be split. Lean towards the former, but preseason game 3 will be key.
New York Giants: The Giants have yet to tip their hand on how they will split the snaps among the three-headed RB attack. Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, and Shane Vereen have all seen time in various roles with the first team offense throughout the preseason. It doesn’t help that the Giants’ offense has been miserable thus far through two games. The team completed less than 50 percent of its passes in preseason week 1, while Eli Manning managed to complete just 4 of 14 passes on Saturday. Not to fret, however, as the offense has started slow in the preseason in recent years, as well. If fantasy owners are quick to downgrade the Giants offense based on their preseason performance, we can capitalize in our remaining drafts if we see a collective ADP drop for their offense.
Philadelphia Eagles: We finally got a brief preview of the new-look Eagles offense, as almost all of the opening day starters (minus Zach Ertz) played in the team’s second preseason game on Saturday. Bradford only attempted five passes, but was able to knock off some rust after not playing in an actual game for nearly a year. Perhaps most importantly, Bradford’s knee survived a huge hit from LB Terrell Suggs. The week-to-week output of this offense will be tough to judge from a fantasy perspective with the amount of weapons and tendency to spread the ball around. If he can stay healthy, RB Ryan Mathews looks to be a huge fantasy asset. He should receive enough carries to have flex appeal in most weeks, while a DeMarco Murray injury would catapult him to the top of the fantasy RB rankings.
Washington Redskins: Starting QB Robert Griffin III left Thursday’s preseason game with what the team is calling a concussion and a shoulder stinger. Despite the injury, the team is preparing for Griffin to start the team’s third preseason game on Saturday. Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy have looked sharp so far in the preseason, and it’s a very good chance we see one, if not both, of these quarterbacks start a game in the regular season. Griffin has immense upside as a late round fantasy pick, but given his propensity for punishment, it would be a near miracle to see him suit up for all 16 games. On a brighter note, rookie RB Matt Jones looked quick and decisive on Thursday night. Jones has solidified himself as one of the clearer fantasy-relevant backup RBs in fantasy football, and he deserves a pick in the later rounds of your draft.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: As a result of WR Kevin White’s surgery last week, WR Marquess Wilson is expected to step in and contribute for the Bears’ offense. However, Wilson suffered an injury of his own in Saturday’s preseason game when he left with a hamstring pull. Head coach John Fox has deemed the injury “minor” but we’ve seen that song and dance before (Kevin White’s “minor” shin injury that resulted in surgery and Alshon Jeffery’s “minor” calf injury that left him in a walking boot). This coaching staff has undersold injuries so far in their tenure, so we’ll need to monitor practice reports this week to see if Wilson returns. All the while, WR Eddie Royal’s fantasy outlook continues to soar.
Detroit Lions: Is Ameer Abdullah the rookie RB in Detroit that we should be talking about? UDFA RB Zach Zenner shined in Thursday’s preseason game, racking up 81 total yards and a touchdown on just 9 touches. Zenner rushed for 2,000-plus yards in 3 consecutive seasons at South Dakota State (you read that correctly) and is in the clear lead for the number four RB role in Detroit. Joique Bell’s injuries have been piling up – there’s a non-zero chance we see Zenner-Abdullah in a thunder-lightning backfield tandem this season. At the very least, Zenner is worth a pick later in dynasty rookie drafts.
Green Bay Packers: In just one play, the landscape of fantasy football was changed. Early in the team’s preseason game on Sunday, WR Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL. The ramifications of this injury are still unclear for now, but it appears that WR Davante Adams will be the primary beneficiary. Adams immediately steps into fantasy WR2 conversation in the fourth or fifth rounds of drafts. Will Ty Montgomery or Jeff Janis become the third wideout? Janis has the measurables, but has been inconsistent in camp. Perhaps the tight ends, Andrew Quarless and Richard Rodgers, soak up some of the missed targets. There’s also the scenario where the Packers run the ball more, adding to bottom lines of RBs Eddie Lacy and James Starks. In short, move up Davante Adams into your WR2 tier. Then, take advantage of any significant movements in the ADPs of Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Randall Cobb, or any of the role players, as Nelson’s injury likely impacts them less than the fantasy masses may originally believe.
Suggested article: Fantasy Forecast: Looking Beyond Packers WR Davante Adams
Minnesota Vikings: QB Teddy Bridgewater continued his masterful preseason performance on Saturday versus the Raiders, completing 10 of 14 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. WR Charles Johnson’s style meshes well with Bridgewater’s strengths and if preseason is any indication, he will be the fantasy wide receiver to own in Minnesota. While Adrian Peterson will not play this preseason, let us not forget that Norv Turner’s offense typically greatly involves the RB in the passing game. RBs Matt Asiata and Jerrick McKinnon combined for six receptions on Saturday, and we could see Peterson eclipse his career high in that department (43 back in 2009).
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: While we didn’t get a chance to see the duo in the Falcons’ second preseason game, RBs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman finally returned to practice after suffering hamstring injuries early in camp. The likely scenario here is that the two split time and form a frustrating RBBC for fantasy owners, but if one of the two emerges as the lead ball carrier, he’ll be a RB2 for us. In other news, veteran WR Roddy White underwent a minor procedure on his elbow but is expected to be ready for week 1. This is already the second surgery that White has undergone in the preseason, making him a risky bet to return value this season. WR Leonard Hankerson remains a worthwhile flier later in your drafts.
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers offense suffered a major blow last week when second-year WR Kelvin Benjamin suffered a torn ACL in practice. Ready or not, rookie wideout Devin Funchess will be thrust into the number one role. Although similar in stature to Benjamin, Funchess lacks Benjamin’s ability at the catch point. Anyone expecting Funchess to have similar success in his rookie year is in for a major disappointment. We’ll have to keep an eye on this receiver group to see if Corey Brown, Brenton Bersin, or Jarrett Boykin emerges. In all likelihood, TE Greg Olsen will be the major beneficiary and should see a career high in targets.
New Orleans Saints: If you want your ADP to make a jump at this time of the season, take note to what Brandin Cooks did on Saturday. The second-year WR hauled in 4 passes for 117 yards and a TD in less than one half of work, solidifying his position as a breakout fantasy receiver. The hype on TE Josh Hill has cooled significantly as of late and for good reason – Hill has been working extensively with the backups this preseason. TE Ben Watson is the starter and even caught a TD on Saturday. Meanwhile, WR Brandon Coleman is locked in as the number three WR and is being praised for his red zone skills. Barring injury to one of these two players, it will be tough for Hill earn any week-to-week consistency this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rookie QB Jameis Winston made his second preseason start on Monday night and looked to be in great command of the offense. Winston was slated to play the entire first half, but exited midway through the second quarter with a minor ankle injury. For the rest of the game, he ran around and celebrated with his teammates, indicating that the injury isn’t that serious. WR Mike Evans suffered a mild hamstring strain and even though the team downplayed the injury, we should keep an eye on his practice participation this week. RB Doug Martin looks rejuvenated and much closer in form to his 2012 season rather than the plodding back we’ve seen for the last two years. The team has expressed confidence in his workload and he looks the part – he’s a value at his current ADP.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: The Arizona Cardinals were worried about the development and progression of rookie RB David Johnson, so the team signed veteran free agent RB Chris Johnson to a one year deal last week. But things change quickly in this league – Chris Johnson strained his hamstring, sidelining him for a week or two, while Johnson had an electric performance in Saturday’s preseason game. Johnson totaled 81 yards on 15 touches, erasing all doubt about his potential 2015 impact. He was drafted to be a replica of Andre Ellington in order to avoid a repeat of last year at the position after Ellington was shut down for the season with an injury. If Saturday is any indication, Arizona got just what they wanted.
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers may have lost numerous players this offseason, but their RB depth is one of the best in the league. Free agent signing Reggie Bush and veteran runner Kendall Hunter didn’t play in Sunday’s preseason game, but the rest of the RB crew performed admirably. Starter Carlos Hyde rushed for 39 yards on seven carries and showed his soft hands on a six yard reception. Rookie Mike Davis, who is talented and competing for a backup role, averaged 4.3 yards per carry on 8 rushes and appeared quicker than he did in college. The player everyone is talking about, however, is former Australian rugby player Jarryd Hayne. Hayne has been electric on special teams and only needed 8 touches to compile 54 yards as a running back on Sunday. At this point, he seems to be a favorite to make the roster and that will officially put him on dynasty watch in deeper leagues.
Seattle Seahawks: The battle for the number 3 RB job continues to heat up. Incumbent Christine Michael ran with authority in Friday’s preseason game and even showed his strength on a crushing chip block on Chiefs LB Dee Ford. UDFAs Thomas Rawls on Rod Smith have been effective in their short stints in the preseason and they will be names to watch at the end of training camp when teams are making their final cuts. Backup QB Tarvaris Jackson suffered a high ankle sprain last week, so the Seahawks are one play away from rookie QB R.J. Archer running the show. If Jackson’s injury lingers, look for the team to sign a veteran free agent QB.
St. Louis Rams: The biggest news to come out of Rams’ camp in the past week has revolved around rookie RB Todd Gurley. On Monday, Gurley was cleared to participate in practice. While avoiding the PUP list to start training camp, Gurley was limited to individual work until the end of last week. However, despite his clearance to practice, Gurley will continue to be held out of game action for the remainder of the preseason. Tre Mason will begin the season as the starting RB, but all signs point to Gurley receiving an increased role sooner rather than later.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Quick – name the last time a team has missed its top FIVE running backs due to injury. If you guessed the 2015 Buffalo Bills, you’d be correct. LeSean McCoy, Fred Jackson, and Bryce Brown are all dealing with hamstring injuries. Anthony Dixon has a calf issue and rookie Karlos Williams is hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. We’ll need to pay close attention to the injury report before we can sort out this backfield in week 1. At quarterback, Tyrod Taylor should have all but cemented his position as the starter for week 1. Taylor showed touch and accuracy on his passes while leading the team with 41 rushing yards on just 4 carries. Taylor brings a dynamic and exciting element to this offense that Matt Cassel and E.J. Manuel simply cannot provide. As fantasy owners, this is great news – if starting, Taylor’s rushing ability will immediately allow him to threaten the top-12 at his position.
Miami Dolphins: WR Kenny Stills returned to practice after sitting out for more than a week with a calf strain. The former Saints wide receiver started Saturday’s preseason contest alongside Jarvis Landry, but managed to only haul in one pass. The pecking order in the backfield appears to be set – Lamar Miller is the lead back and Damien Williams will be a highly coveted backup RB. Even though he received glowing reports early in camp, LaMichael James hasn’t done nearly enough to earn a significant role in this offense. Where does this leave the highly talented 5th round rookie Jay Ajayi? Ajayi has struggled to stay healthy and has missed the first two preseason games, causing him to fall way behind on the depth chart. If he doesn’t get on the field soon, there are rumors swirling that he could even be cut from the team.
New England Patriots: There have been a lot of question marks and injury concerns for the Patriots’ skill position players throughout this preseason. RB LeGarrette Blount made his 2015 debut on Saturday, suggesting his mild knee sprain from earlier in camp is fully behind him. RB Dion Lewis returned to action and looked explosive. He’s currently in a battle with James White and Travaris Cadet for the passing down duties and whoever wins will likely have some fantasy relevance. Meanwhile, the Pats’ top four wide receivers have yet to play in the preseason, encouraging the team to give a call to former Colts WR Reggie Wayne. Is this an indictment of the health of Brandon LaFell or is just an emergency plan with additional injuries to backup WRs Brian Tyms and Brandon Gibson? Either way, WR Chris Harper has had a spectacular preseason – he’s one to watch in deeper dynasty leagues.
New York Jets: Rookie QB Bryce Petty performed much better on Friday than in his week 1 NFL debut, but the team still understands that he is a project. As a result, the Jets signed veteran QB Matt Flynn, who will backup Ryan Fitzpatrick until Geno Smith returns. In the backfield, RB Chris Ivory continues to draw praise for his all-around skillset, as he caught three passes in his limited action on Friday. Bilal Powell will steal some passing down work, but the team is intent on Ivory carrying the load – he remains criminally undervalued in fantasy drafts.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: It was revealed last week that rookie WR Breshad Perriman is dealing with a sprained PCL, a rather difficult injury on which to place an accurate recovery timetable. The Ravens are hoping that Perriman can practice this week, but no guarantees have been made. We’ll continue to monitor Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown, and Michael Campanaro while Perriman is sidelined. Rookie TE Maxx Williams looks to be a longshot to contribute in fantasy leagues in 2015. Crockett Gilmore is firmly entrenched as the starter, while reports have even surfaced that fellow rookie TE Nick Boyle has been making more plays in camp than Williams. Williams’ long-term outlook remains bright, but fantasy owners should temper expectations for this season.
Cincinnati Bengals: If you didn’t know any better, you could have watched Cincinnati’s preseason game on Monday night and thought it was a regular season performance. WR Marvin Jones was back working with the first team offense and Nationally Televised Andy Dalton showed up, completing 6 of 13 passes for 46 yards and two interceptions. The Bengals offense has a lot of potential this season, but it ultimately rests on the shoulders of Andy Dalton. When you draft Jeremy Hill or A.J. Green in the second round, Gio Bernard in the sixth round, or spend a later pick on Tyler Eifert expecting a breakout, remember that their fantasy outlook is directly tied to Andy Dalton. Dalton will need another surprise top-5 fantasy finish to feed all of these mouths. Are you willing to bet on that?
Cleveland Browns: With just 3 weeks left until the regular season, no one has seized control of the Browns’ backfield. Terrence West has looked unimpressive, while coaches continue to question Isaiah Crowell’s effort and dedication. Despite Browns legend Earnest Byner’s high praise for Crowell, this backfield is setting up perfectly for Duke Johnson when he returns from his hamstring injury. QB Josh McCown was unimpressive Thursday night, but the Browns are adamant about him being under center for week 1. Johnny Manziel certainly outplayed McCown in the team’s second preseason game, and he’ll have to continue to build upon that momentum to overtake McCown. As Manziel showed off his legs and ability to extend plays on Thursday, he has a shot to be fantasy relevant this season and should be on your waiver wire speed dial.
Pittsburgh Steelers: So maybe Martavis Bryant hasn’t completely taken over the number 2 role in Pittsburgh just yet. WR Markus Wheaton caught a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger in Saturday’s game and looked to be in a majority of the two wide receiver sets. The title of number two and number three may just be semantics; the Steelers will often go three wide and Bryant will get more high leverage targets (read deep balls and red zone looks) than Wheaton. The most important item to note is center Maurkice Pouncey’s injury from Saturday. Pouncey broke his ankle and will have it surgically repaired, with early reports indicating that he will miss at least eight weeks. This is a significant injury for this offensive line and likely limits the upside of this entire offense.
AFC South
Houston Texans: The QB battle in Houston is over (for now): Brian Hoyer was named the starting QB on Monday. It appears that Hoyer was the favorite all along and unless Mallett was spectacular in the preseason, Hoyer would be under center in week 1. Both QBs were efficient in the team’s first preseason game, but the duo combined for just 85 yards on 18 attempts on Saturday. While Hoyer himself may not be a fantasy asset, DeAndre Hopkins owners shouldn’t be upset with the decision. Hoyer started a three game stretch during Josh Gordon’s unbelievable 2013 season and Gordon totaled 18 receptions, 304 yards, and two touchdowns in those three games. Hoyer knows how to get the ball to his playmakers and we shouldn’t downgrade Hopkins because of his quarterback situation.
Indianapolis Colts: RB Frank Gore made a brief cameo appearance in his Colts’ debut, rushing for 10 yards on two carries in Saturday’s preseason contest. Gore is locked in as an every-down back for this team, but the competition for the number two role is heavy. Vick Ballard returned this week after a lengthy absence, Dan Herron is looking to continue his postseason success, and rookie RB Josh Robinson has been impressive, to say the least. It is a muddy situation and unless a clear winner emerges, it will likely be tough to capitalize on this backfield in the event of a Frank Gore injury. WR Phillip Dorsett suffered a bruised knee on Saturday, but looks to be fine and should practice this week. He continues to have the edge on Donte Moncrief and Duron Carter for the WR3 role in this offense.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Rookie RB T.J. Yeldon sprained his finger a little more than a week ago and as a result, missed the team’s second preseason game. The injury is not considered serious and the Jaguars are likely just being careful with their second round pick, as Yeldon is expected to play extensively with the first team offense in the all-important third preseason game. There are concerns of a split workload in this backfield, but the team has raved about Yeldon’s vision, pass protection skills, and receiving ability. If he plays well in this week’s game, expect those RBBC committee rumors to be put to rest.
Tennessee Titans: Last week, everyone anointed rookie David Cobb as the RB to own in Tennessee’s backfield. However, Bishop Sankey had something to say about that, rushing for 45 yards on six carries in the team’s second preseason game. The storyline will be the same throughout the season: Sankey is the better athlete while Cobb has better RB skills. Unless an injury occurs or Cobb seizes control, it will likely be a frustrating RBBC in 2015. The WR corps may even be more difficult to sort out – Kendall Wright is locked in as the WR1 and Harry Douglas will likely man the slot, but will it be Justin Hunter, Hakeem Nicks, or Dorial Green-Beckham as the WR2? Green-Beckham looked solid on Sunday, hauling in four passes for 40 yards and has the physical tools to be a top five WR in this league. If he puts it all together, by December we could be naming him as the late round pick that was integral to a fantasy championship.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: The worry is starting to build for WR Emmanuel Sanders and his hamstring ailment. Sanders has missed more than three weeks of camp now, including the team’s first two preseason games. Originally diagnosed as a cramp, Sanders recently admitted that he’s dealing with a slightly higher grade injury. While Sanders has played 16 games in each of the last three seasons, he’s not completely injury-free – he did miss eight games in his first two years in Pittsburgh. If he doesn’t suit up during the preseason, we should take a much closer look at moving WR Cody Latimer way up our draft boards.
[kcc] Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Smith threw a TD pass to a wide receiver! Okay, sure it’s just the preseason, but perhaps we’re underselling Jeremy Maclin in his new situation. Reports from Chiefs camp are consistent in stating that the Chiefs’ offense will look to open up the offense more this season and take some shots downfield. Right on cue, Alex Smith dialed up a deep ball to WR Albert Wilson on the first play of the team’s week 2 preseason game (although unsuccessful). RB Knile Davis appeared to only suffer a minor knee sprain last week – he quickly returned to practice and even played with the first team on Friday night. Continue to draft him as a high upside backup RB in the late rounds of your fantasy draft.
Oakland Raiders: In an effort to win the backup RB job in Oakland, Trent Richardson logged a disappointing performance in Saturday’s preseason game. In other news, water is wet. It is becoming increasingly more likely that Richardson is beat out by UDFA Michael Dyer, who looked the part in limited action on Saturday. If starter Latavius Murray falters or succumbs to injury, Dyer will be a priority waiver pickup. Amari Cooper continued his strong preseason, hauling in a 40-yard reception versus the Vikings. Despite Derek Carr’s limitations, Cooper should be a solid fantasy WR3 at the very least this season.
San Diego Chargers: Rookie RB Melvin Gordon missed Saturday’s preseason game with what the team is calling a “minor” ankle injury. Gordon practiced leading up to the game and is expected to suit up for this week’s contest, so we have no reason to believe that this is a major injury. However, fantasy minds alike are turned off by Gordon’s injury, his poor performance in his NFL debut, and the realization that he likely won’t contribute on third downs, thus slightly dropping his ADP. Gordon still has the talent and the Chargers traded up in the first round to get him – they’ll use him extensively this season. These preseason developments are actually moving Gordon into draftable territory.
Brian Jester | NFL Preseason Week 2 Fantasy Recap - Gridiron Experts